On the next day of yesterday that is today and not tomorrow, Sapphire had already mailed Alisa about the mission, so to say that Alisa is more than happy to come along. "So Sapphire, what is our mission for today?" Alisa ask and Sapphire answer. "Huh? Oh. We suppose to … uh ... let see here ... uh ... eliminate a Polar Kongou. You know, the Ice Monkey ... Within this barren place called the Forgotten Carrier ... which I still don't get why it's called like that in the first place."
Hearing this, Alisa state what she know about the place, "Well it's called like that because it's a big carrier ship that was left behind when the Aragami came, so after a long time, the people had forgotten the existence of the carrier, hence they called it the Forgotten Carrier".
Guess what Sapphire say, "Oh, but when it's called like that and we remember it, doesn't that like, a ... um ... Paradox?" Alisa was puzzled, "Huh, I guess so ..." As they arrive at the place, it was already noon, and Alisa decided to ask something, "Hey, Sapphire why do you look a bit stressed, a while ago ... and now?" Sapphire turns to Alisa and raises his brow. Sapphire quenches her curiosity, "I look stress? Well that's because I forgot where I put my headphones ... Alisa; by any chance did you see it?"
Alisa shakes her head, "Can't say that I have ... maybe you put it somewhere in your room?" she says trying to help Sapphire remember. "That's the problem; I just exactly don't know where I put it!" Alisa then offered to help, "Um, after this mission, I could help you look for it". Sapphire was sufficed to say overjoyed, "Oh cool, I really appreciated if you do, Alisa!"
After that, they both decided its mission time and went to hunt that Ice monkey. As they were searching, thoughts run wild in Alisa's head, it's about her feelings towards her Leader that is accompanying her right now, maybe she should tell him now, but what if he doesn't feel the same?, and in another thought, why do Alisa get the feeling that Sakuya is involved in this.
"The sooner we find that Monkey, the sooner we can find my missing headphones!" Sapphire sudden outburst made Alisa lost her train of thought, "Huh?" Sapphire turn to her with a apologetic face, "Err, sorry about that, I was just-", he stopped because he just see a Kongou that is relatively far.
"-Objective spotted at your 6.00 O'clock!" he reported. Alisa turn around to see a Kongou, "Oh, there it is, so shall we initiate an ambush, dear Sapphire?" she said teasingly as she went ahead. Not known to her that Sapphire is pretty much taking it seriously ... err maybe, "... Okay ..." he said as followed her. About thirteen minutes later, they were standing beside the now dead Kongou and Sapphire was devouring it for materials, Alisa then speaks up, "Well, I guess mission accomplished."
Sapphire couldn't agree more, "Yup and that was easy too! So let's head back to the Den, but before that I'd like to say thanks for supporting me." Alisa said happily, "Of course, anytime ... for you …" The end of that sentence is not heard by Sapphire.
"What was that?" Sapphire asks, so Alisa answered quickly, "Uh, nothing! I said I will always support you!" Sapphire then said "Oh, okay, great! Now it's time to look for my headphones." And that's the end for today mission.
When they were back at the Den, Alisa and Sapphire took this chance to relax near the vending machine at the Rookie Section, Sapphire treat, of course. "Here's your drink, Alisa." She takes the drink and says thanks while taking a sip. Sapphire then sits besides Alisa and sums up today's mission. "The mission earlier is a piece of cake! ... and it was easy too!" Alisa speaks up, "How many times have you said that?"
He answered while counting his fingers, "Let's see, about 3 times?" He then took a sip from his drink. Alisa noticed that she hadn't been taking a good, long look of Sapphire, so she's doing it now.
She sees that Sapphire is wearing his Heavenly Outfit; he looks like an Angel ... a silly one, without wings. Plus the outfit matches with his hair, which is also Sapphire white. "Hmm, like what you see?" Sapphire said to Alisa as she was staring at him, "Oh! Um ... Uh..." Alisa is loss for words, and to make matters worse, she is also blushing and he saw it.
"You're cute when you blush", he said, Alisa blush even more. Just then Kota arrives and greets them, "Yo! What are you guys doing here, and what's wrong with you, Alisa?"
"Uh-oh!" Alisa thought, it's embarrassing enough that Sapphire sees her blushing! She didn't need Kota to see her in this state as well! But Sapphire come to her rescue, "Oh, she didn't feel so well after the mission, so I thought I treat her to some drinks". That explanation doesn't make sense, but Kota bought it, "Oh, okay, get well, Alisa!" he then walks to the elevator, leaving the two alone, again.
Alisa stared at him, Sapphire then said, "What?" "I should say thanks but, you're the cause of the predicament I was in." She said as she throws away the empty drink can in garbage can. Sapphire says, "Right, I'm sorry, but I couldn't help it, because you're really cute when you blush!"
"Oh, enough already, will you?" Alisa said, still blushing. He laughs, "Ha ha, anyway, come on, let's go find my headphones!" He then grabs Alisa's hand and drag her to his room. Alisa was blushing the entire time, because he's holding her hand ... Strangely his hand feel soft for a strong guy like him.
When they arrive at Sapphire's room, Alisa is pretty surprise of how ... clean and neat it was. Knowing that Sapphire is a lazy person, Sapphire notices how surprise Alisa is. So he then says, "I know that reaction, you're surprised that my room is clean and neat, right?"
Alisa nod then asked, "Uh...yeah, but if it's all clean and neat, how do you lose your headphones in the first place?" Sapphire pause, it seems that he also perplexed. "Well, that's the problem, even if my room is clean, I just can't seem to find my headphones anywhere, strange right?" he said.
"Well, do you remember where the last time you put it?" Alisa asks, hoping to remind Sapphire. Sapphire thinks for a moment ... and nothing. "Nope! Not at all! I can't even remember!"
Alisa keeps trying, "Do you remember 'when' you lost it?" Sapphire thinks for a moment, "Hmm, I remember that I lost it for two days ago, you know, when I wearing those tight Azure pants." he said as he recalled that tight situation. Of course Alisa remembers, because he looks sexy in them…
"So maybe you lost it, when you were, I don't know, trying to put on those pants?" Alisa sees that Sapphire pause a bit and stared at her, like she'd hit a nail on the head, or read his mind, or ... something. "Are you psychic or something?", he walks on the center of his room and then says, "All right, this is where I was uh ...'wearing'... well if you'd called, jumping around trying to pull those pants off 'wearing'."
Alisa laughs and playfully replies, "Ha ha, stop stalling." Sapphire smiles and continues, "All right, well, I sort of fall over here, so maybe ..."
He begun to searched behind those sofas, "Alisa, check behind that sofa, while I check behind this one". So Alisa searched behind and guesses what? There it is! She grabs the headphones and dust off some of the ... well, dust.
"Sapphire! I've found it!" She hands it to him while smiling. "Awesome!" he takes those headphones and checks them, "... Still looks okay, Whew." Alisa to about to ask him about what so important about those headphones, but was hugged by an overjoyed Sapphire.
"ThankyouAlisayoudon'tknowhowimportantthisheadphon esistomeandIwilldoanythingtorepayyou!" Okay, Alisa couldn't hear properly for two reasons: One, he is hugging her and Two, he was speaking to fast. "Uh ... what?" she ask. Normally, she doesn't like to be touched, but since he was special, well ... she's enjoying it.
Sapphire looks to her, but he didn't let go, "I said thank you, Alisa, these headphones is important to me and I also said that I will do anything to repay you." he said with a big grin on his face. Alisa mostly hears the "do anything" part, but then decided to use this advantage to ask her question, "Well, you can start by telling me why are those headphones so important to you." Sapphire then slowly releases Alisa and simply looks at her, but then ask her to sit down as he will explain.
"If you really want to know … well …" he said softly, as if reliving a bad memory, Alisa nodded and says, "Yes, well ... if you don't mind." Sapphire just said, "No, I don't mind ... this headphone ... is the only the thing left for me from ... my father." As he pointed at the headphone, Alisa asks, "What happened to him?" Sapphire silenced for bit then slowly tells her that, "Nothing happened to my father, it's what he does ... he just ... left me behind ... to fend for myself in this god-forsaken world ... no pun intended."
Alisa was surprised, why does his father do that? but Sapphire continued, "And my mother? … Well, she died peacefully in our house, just before my father left." he paused, and then speaks again, "Thinking it now, I guess that's why he left me behind ... To escape the pain."
"Is this when ... the resonance ... you were crying?" Alisa asks, she remembers having a brief resonance of his past, when she holds his hands, while she's still recovering. Sapphire nodded his head, answering her question. "... Yes, that when I saw him leave, I was crying because the father I knew and love is gone ... and I was left to fend for myself ... and I was still ten years old then."
Hearing all this makes Alisa speechless, somehow on instincts she holds his hand, wishing that it would comfort him a little. "Thank you, Alisa, I never tell anyone about this ..." he says with gratitude.
"Sure, but it's my fault to have you relive such a bad memory ..." she says as she looks guilty, but Sapphire shakes his head. "No, it's not, I would stop if I wanted to, but I don't ... it's not your fault, Alisa." he reassured her. Alisa still feels a bit guilty, though she is still holding his hand.
But then Sapphire started to speak, "Hey, Alisa ..." Alisa looks to him, "Yes?" Sapphire says, "Do you want to know a secret that I have?" Alisa was confused but mouthed, "Okay…"
Sapphire smiles, and said "I ... uh ... how should I say this?" He stuttered "Is he hesitating?" Alisa thought it is rare to see him hesitate, but just then Sapphire lean a bit closer and muttered a sentence that Alisa wouldn't think could come out of his mouth, "... I love you, Alisa …"
Author's Note:
So that's the end... At least that's what I thought. Well, it's actually pretty boring if it ended to quickly so I did what I did, continue the story. Seeing what happens to both Alisa and Sapphire. So yeah expect the next chapter. *thumbs up*